Julius Brunner
In Biggles Sees Too Much, Julius Brunner was an international financier who, together with his brother Stephen, ran a people-smuggling racket between Cornwall in the South of England and France. Julius was a wealthy man and, among other things, owned a chain of hotels both on the continent and in England. As Biggles observed at the end, Julius did not need the money from the criminal enterprise. How and why he got involved was never explained although Biggles was inclined to believe that his brother Stephen was the real culprit. Be that as it may, Julius was the brains behind the scheme. A boat, the Shearwater offered shark-fishing expeditions out of various Cornish fishing ports. Passengers would be taken on board and then deposited far out in the English channel on an uninhabited islet in the Channel Islands group. A French fishing boat operating out of St. Malo would provide the connection at the other end. Fugitives bound for the continent would be taken to France while those seeking entry into Britain would be be dropped at the islet and then taken back to Cornwall by the Shearwater, always ensuring that the number of passengers departing on the fishing trip would match the number coming back. The racket would thus work both ways. On the one hand, it was suitable for illegal immigrants and criminals wanting to enter England discreetly, such as the prison escapee Limpy Logan. On the other, it could serve as a quick escape for criminals on the run in England. Hotels such as the Fishermen's Arms at the small village of Polcarron were purchased to serve as half-way houses for clients who would pay five hundred pounds each for the passage. Julius worked the business planning and marketing end of the racket, being responsible for attracting "clients". In this, he ran the scheme like a businessman rather than as a hardened criminal and this, to some extent, explained his eventual downfall. He collected his clients in a highly recognisable Daimler which was registered in his own name and thus easily traced. He kept the clients in his own house at Penlock Grange. When his brother Stephen warned him that the Cornish strip of coast was not safe anymore, Julius insisted on carrying on. Always looking to the future, he felt he could not let his customers down. If it became known that the operation could not be trusted, no further customers would be forthcoming. He wanted to keep going because he had some potential customers who could turn out to be gold mines. Julius was described as a heavily built man of about fifty years of age. For Ginger, who encountered him at close quarters, he was courteous and hospitable. In his manner and in the way he was dressed, he did not match the kind of person Ginger had visualised. Julius did not look like a criminal. As Biggles perceived, he could be easily rattled. Near the end of the book, Biggles decided to confront him. He told Julius he knew everything about his scheme and it would be ending soon. Julius attempted to draw a gun but Biggles dismissed it as bravado. He told him real life did not always work out this way--Julius had watched too much television. He advised him to start thinking about his position. Julius probably did take Biggles' advice. He must have thought about how his scheme was unravelling and could not face up to the consequences. When Gaskin was sent to raid Penlock Grange, Julius was found dead, having blown his brains out with a shot-gun. Category:People Category:Biggles characters Category:Air Police era characters